AQMD awards $40M to replace diesel buses, trucks

DIAMOND BAR, Calif. — The South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) awarded over $40 million to 11 school districts and the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach on Dec. 3 for the replacement of diesel buses and trucks.

The $21 million designated for use by school districts will help to replace 128 pre-1994 and 18 pre-1987 diesel school buses with buses powered by compressed natural gas and propane.

Another $19 million will allow 400 diesel trucks operating in the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach to be replaced.

With the grants, AQMD has now funded the replacement of more than 1,100 older diesel school buses and over 2,500 older diesel trucks with cleaner, lower-emission models.

“Diesel soot remains a serious health threat and accelerating the transition to cleaner vehicle fleets is one important way we can help protect public health,” said Dennis Yates, vice chairman of AQMD’s Governing Board. “Today’s award helps get some of the dirtiest diesel trucks and school buses off southland roadways.” 

The funding comes from voter-approved Proposition 1B.  Additional funding for school bus replacements comes from the EPA and the state’s Carl Moyer Program.